# Captain Pragmatic > Fractional CTO leadership with hands-on engineering. We guide technical decisions, run your infrastructure and build software with your team. Book a free call. ## Start here - [Captain Pragmatic](https://captainpragmatic.com/): Fractional CTO leadership with hands-on engineering. We guide technical decisions, run your infrastructure and build software with your team. Book a free call. - [About Claudiu](https://captainpragmatic.com/about/): Meet Claudiu Ciungan, a Linux, DevOps and cloud infrastructure specialist with more than a decade of IT experience and a background in technical leadership. - [Services](https://captainpragmatic.com/services/): Technical leadership and engineering for growing businesses. Fractional CTO guidance, custom software, private AI, automation and infrastructure. Book a call. - [Contact](https://captainpragmatic.com/contact/): Contact Captain Pragmatic for a free consultation. Tell us what is slowing you down and we will tell you honestly where we can help, and where we can't. ## Services - [Custom Software with AI](https://captainpragmatic.com/services/custom-software-with-ai/): Custom software built with your team, where AI reads and drafts and tested code makes every decision. Safer, auditable and far cheaper to run. Book a free call. - [Private AI Platform](https://captainpragmatic.com/services/private-ai-platform/): Private AI platform on your own servers: plain-language answers from your data and documents, plus a coding assistant, with permissions and a full audit trail. - [Operations Autopilot](https://captainpragmatic.com/services/operations-autopilot/): Operations autopilot: software that watches your systems, applies your rules, takes safe actions and asks a person before anything risky. Every action audited. - [AWS Infrastructure](https://captainpragmatic.com/services/aws-infrastructure-planning-and-implementation/): AWS infrastructure planning and implementation for startups and SMBs. Architecture, deployment and cost optimization, from EC2 to Lambda to EKS, built to scale. - [Linux Administration](https://captainpragmatic.com/services/linux-server-administration-for-smbs-and-startups/): Linux server administration for SMBs and startups. Proactive monitoring, security patching and backups, so your developers can build. EU-based, no lock-in. - [IT Procurement](https://captainpragmatic.com/services/it-procurement/): IT procurement advice that is vendor-neutral and takes no commissions. Buy the right servers, cloud and contracts once, without overpaying or getting locked in. ## Selected guides - [AI agents vs workflows: let AI read, let code decide](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/ai-agents-vs-workflows/): AI agents vs workflows for business software. Learn where models help, how code controls approvals, and which questions to ask before you fund an AI project. - [Shadow AI: where your company data goes, and what to do about it](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/shadow-ai-company-data/): Shadow AI puts company data into unapproved tools. Check vendor terms, set clear data rules and compare the full cost of subscriptions with a private platform. - [What to automate in IT operations, and what to leave to people](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/what-to-automate-in-it-operations/): What to automate in IT operations: a simple test for which loops to hand to software, approval data from our own system, and the failures that set our rules. - [Cloud Migration Checklist: The Non-Technical Founder's Guide to Moving Without Disaster](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/cloud-migration-checklist-non-technical-founders/): Cloud migration checklist for non-technical business owners. Covers planning, vendor selection, hidden costs and common challenges so your move avoids disaster. - [Why the 3-2-1 Backup Rule Still Works (And What To Add in 2026)](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/why-3-2-1-backup-rule-still-works/): The 3-2-1 backup rule still works because redundancy, diversity and isolation remove single points of failure. Learn why it works and two upgrades for 2026. - [Gmail and Yahoo Bulk Sender Requirements: Authentication and Unsubscribe](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/gmail-yahoo-bulk-sender-requirements-2025/): Gmail and Yahoo bulk sender requirements explained. Why your emails may be failing, and how to fix SPF, DKIM, DMARC and unsubscribe before you lose customers. - [How to Set Up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: Step-by-Step Email Authentication Guide](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/2025-11-11-how-to-set-up-spf-dkim-dmarc/): Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC step by step. Practical DNS record examples, troubleshooting and validation tools to meet Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook sender rules. - [One-Click Unsubscribe for Email Marketing: What SMEs Need to Know (Gmail/Yahoo Requirement)](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/one-click-unsubscribe-gmail-yahoo-requirement/): Gmail and Yahoo require one-click unsubscribe for bulk email senders. Find out if your email service handles this automatically or if you need a developer. - [NIS2 Directive Explained: EU Cybersecurity Rules for Small Companies (2026 Review)](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/nis2-directive-explained-small-companies/): NIS2 directive explained for small and medium companies. Who is affected, what the 10 minimum security measures require and realistic steps to comply. - [Does NIS2 Apply to Your Company? Quick Self-Assessment & Decision Guide](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/does-nis2-apply-to-my-company/): NIS2 self-assessment: a quick guide to check if your EU company is covered. Review size thresholds and sector coverage, and see what to do if you are affected. - [Top IaaS Providers Compared: AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud for Business](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/top-iaas-providers-compared/): IaaS providers compared for business owners: AWS, Azure and Google Cloud pricing, strengths and fit, explained without jargon so you can pick the right one. ## More resources - [Blog](https://captainpragmatic.com/blog/): The Captain Pragmatic blog: plain-English guides for founders and SMB owners on cloud, hosting, backups, email, security and working with your developers. - [Free Infrastructure Tools](https://captainpragmatic.com/tools/): Free tools for non-technical founders to assess and manage their infrastructure. Calculate risks, analyze costs, and understand your technical setup better. - [Privacy](https://captainpragmatic.com/privacy/): Privacy notice for Captain Pragmatic SRL. Learn how we collect, store, use and share your information when you use our website and services, and your rights. ## Public profiles - [Captain Pragmatic on GitHub](https://github.com/captainpragmatic): Public engineering projects maintained by the company. - [Claudiu Ciungan on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiuciungan/): Professional profile of Claudiu Ciungan.